Gas-control device



' July 21. 1925.

' J. BROMBACHER GAS CONTROL DEVICE Filed Oct. 16. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

ATTORNEY J. BROMBACHER GAS CONTROL DEVICE Filed Oct 16. 1920 2 Sheets-Shea! 2 l. I ATTORNEY July 21 1925.

Patented July 21, 1925.

UNITED JtTIJIiZI s teammate, or Lo s" ANELiis, chairman.

ens-common DEVICE.

Application filed October 16;- 1920. Serial N6. 417,453:

To. all whom z'tmay concern."

Be it known that I, JULIUS BnoMBAoI-rnn, a citizen of the United Sitates, residing at L05 Angel'es, county of LosAngeles,l State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Control Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My' invention relates to gas controlling devices in general, and particularly to such devices as are used to operate a gas valve from a thermostatic unit. 1.

The object of the invention is to provide a thermostaticallycontrolled valve in which thevail ve will move continuously and simultaneously with the thermostatic mechanism in its traverse from one extreme position to another and in which the valve will move with increased acceleration; at or near the approach to an extreme closed or open position. ,7

I accomplish this object by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which are a partof this application for Letters Patent, like characters of reference indicating like parts throughout the several views thereof; and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a gas" valve and thermostatic unit with my device installed" thereon.

Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views to be hereinafter described; 7

Figs; 4:, 5and 6 are perspective views of detail parts to be hereinafter described.

Fig; 7 is a transverse vertical section throug'lr the valve stem.

In Fig; 1 is illustrated the general arrangement of thermostatic member 7 and gas valve housing 8 and valve 8 as used: 111 many gas heating devices, the two being connected by an arm 91119011tl16 thermostatic member and an arm l0upon the valve housing, said arms being secured together by means of suitable bolts 11. v I

In the drawing, the thermostatic element is illustrated as consisting of, the encasingtube? whichiis adaptedto expand and contract under thermal influence and transmit its motion to the rod 7 The transfer of the movement of thethercross-piece 16- on said lever 13, is fulcrumed apeaa; suitable bearing 15, adjustably car-* riedin a sup'port 14. The underside Oii'Sit-ld 'reache's the lever 13 cross-piece may be recessed, as seen at 16 Fig. 1, to accommodate the bearing 15. A

The primary lever 13, is provided with an opening 13, Fig 6, in the end thereof opposite its fulcrum, and such openingis engage in a circular groove 20,.in the valve stem 12, which is arranged" t'obe moved by said spring 17, whenever the primary lever responds to the influence of the thermostat. It is advisable and economical in the use of gasto bring about an accelerated move mentof' the lever 13 and valve stem 12, when the thermostat moves from one" extreme position to another,: and to accomplish this I mount a secondary lever 21, illustrated in detail in Fig.4, uponthelever- 13. Said secondary lever has a forked end adjacent the valve stem 12, the tines of said end, designated asf22, straddling said valve stem, as shown in Fig; 1.- Upon the lower edge of each of said tines is disposed a pin 23, which pin is seated in a depression 24 respective thereto in the upper face of said lever 13, as illustrated in detail in'Fig. 3.

Mounted between the ends of the forked end of the secondary lever 21 is a freely rotatable roller 25, which roller aids in eliminating friction and is always in contact with the lower surface of the gas valve housing 8, as shown in Fig.1, andconstitutes the fulcrum for" said secondary lever. Downwardly projecting weights ,32 formed preferably integral with the other end of and" embracing 'therebetweenthe primary lever 13 are provided upon that end of the secondary lever '21 opposite the forked end thereof, and a'pin 33 is mounted in-said ears,'thereby limiting the upwardmovement of the secondary lever 21 when said pin (see dotted line position in Fig. 1).

A screw 34: isthie'adedintothe secondary lever 21 andextends through an orifice 35 in the lever 13, a' spring 3firbeing mounted upon said screw between the head thereof and the primary lever 13.

It will be noticed that the valve end of the secondary lever is vertically fixed relatively to the valve 8, but is longitudinally movable relatively thereto, or, in other words, is fixed relatively to the valve 8 in the direction of movement of the valve stem 12 thereof and that said toggle is fulcrumed at the opposite end thereof. The movement of the secondary lever relative to the primary lever is resisted by a yielding means 27 carried by the primary lever and thrusting against the end of the secondary lever, the movement being under the influence of the thermostat and controlled by the secondary lever. Constant thrusting contact is maintained between 27 and the end of the lever 21 by means of a free floating thrust member 29 fitting into notches in the adjacent faces of the lever 21 and yielding means 27.

t will also be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 1 that some initial upward move-- ment of the valve stem end of the lever 18 occurs previous to the secondary lever arriving at the central point of its travel, and that such initial movement of said lever 18, has been effected by the thermostatic unit. During such movement of the lever 18, the yielding means 27 has been put under compression which increases with the approach of the secondary lever 21 into alignment with the part 29, that is to a central posi tion or dead center. So soon, however, as the secondary lever 21. and the lever end of the thrust member 29 pass the dead center, the tension of said yielding means 27, comes into play upon both the primary and sec ondary levers, the secondary lever 21, being moved upwardly, while the primary lever is oscillated upon its bearings 15. Such action of the yielding means occurs wholly independent of the thermostat, as is obvious, and in an accelerated manner, which results in a quick movement of the valve stem 12, and its connected valve 8.

Thus the present device is a combination of the well known combination of valve and thermostatic unit having a slowly changing graduated movement of the valve resulting from temperature changes of the thermostatic unit, and such a combination operating a quick acting valve.

It has been found that this device effects a great saving in gas because of the combination of graduated movement and accelerated movement given to the valve stem by the thermostatic unit under temperature changes.

So long as the thermostatic unit is subjected to small changes of temperature, the primary lever 18, willmove only enough to effect a slight movement of the valve stem. But when greater temperatures are present, the movement of the thermostatic member will be correspondingly great, so-

also the movement of the primary lever 18, which in actuating the secondary lever 21, past the dead center of its resisting spring 27, causes the spring to convey to said primary lever an accelerated motion which in turn is transferred to the valve stem 12, and suddenly opens or closes the valve.

In the position of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1, the levers 18 and 21, are in normally inoperative position, that is to say, the water has been heated and the thermostatic rod 7 following the expansion of the tube 7, has caused the primary lever 18, to oscillate upon its bearing 15, and close the gas valve 8.

When the water cools, the tube 7, will contract, and such contractile movement will be transferred to the rod 7 This rod, as seen, is in contact with the short end of the lever 18, and receiving the motion of the tube 7, exerts a downward pressure upon such short end of the fulcrum lever 18, and gradually lifts the longer end thereof concurrently with the action of the thermostat. The valve stem 12, associated with the longer end of the lever 18, by the spring 17 therefore moves also simultaneously with the lever 18 and unseats the valve 8, permitting the flow of gas to the burner. The lifting of the longer end of the lever 18 and the valve stem 12 is resisted by the secondary lever 21, which obviously must also move with the primary lever 18, the end of the longer portion of which operates against the shorter end of the lever 21. The movement of the primary lever 18 is further resisted by the spring 2. which is carried by said lever approximately immediately over or above the fulcrum bearing 15. As seen, the spring 27, exerts its tension through a thrust bar 29, against the end of the longer arm of the secondary lever 21. During the movement of said levers 18 and 21, respectively, this spring 27, is compressec; but where the temperature changes of the water are small or not suiiicient to cause a full movement of the thermostat and its associated parts, only a small quantity of gas 7 will be admitted to the burner. Were, however, the thermostat to contract to its limit, the lever 18, responding to such movement, will cause the longer end of the lever 21, to rise, until the thrust bar 29, has passed the dead center of the lever 21. Until this time, the movement of the levers, and also the consequent movement of the valve has been gradual, under the gradual movement of the thermostat. But so soon as the dead center of the'longer end of the lever 21 has been passed, a sudden accelerated movement of the longer end of the lever occurs independent of the thermostat and this accelerated movement is effected by the movement of said spring 27. Concurrently the sudden upward movement of the longer end of the ment of the longer end thereof. Being connected with the valve stem 12, such sudden upward movement of the primary lever 13,

suddenly fully opens the valve 8. So long 7 then as the thermostatic tube 7 remains contracted, the gas may flow to fullest extent to the burner. hen the water begins to heat, the consequent expansion of the thermostat removes the pressure of the thermostatic rod 7 from the short end of the primary lever 13. The valve stem 12, then gradually follows the gradual movemen ,of said lever, which is assisted in its retul ir to normal position indicated in Fig. 1, by the weighted secondary lever 21, and the closing of the valve concurrently with the move ment of the thermostat continues gradually, until the bar 29, connecting the end of the secondary lever 21, and the spring 27 has passed dead center, when the levers are accelerated and a quick closing of the valve follows.

It will be noted, therefore, that there is a gradual movement of the valve at one time and an accelerated movement of the same at another time when the thermostat moves from one extreme position to another.

Having disclosed my invention so that others may be enabled to construct andto use the same, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A gas valve, a thermostat, a primary lever, a fulcrum for said lever, the short end of said lever being under the influence of said thermostat and the longer end thereof connected to the stem of said valve, a yielding means carried by said primary lever above the fulcrum therefor, a secondary lever fulcrumed on the valve housing, and pivoting at a point removed from the fulcrum thereof upon the end of the longer portion of said primary lever and the longer end of said secondary lever furnished with weighting means embracing, and extended to near the fulcrum of said primary lever, and a connection between the end of said secondary lever and the yielding means carried by the primary lever whereby to resist the movement of said primary lever at one time and accelerate same at another time.

2. A. gas valve, a thermostat, a primary lever, a fulcrum for said lever, the short end of said lever being under the influence of said thermostat and the longer end thereof connected with the stem of said valve, a secondary lever above said primary lever, a roller journaled therein bearing against the valve housing and constituting a fulcrum for said lever, said lever pivoting at a point removed from the fulcrum thereof upon the longer end of said primary lever and the longer end of said secondary; lever extended to near the fulcrum of said primary lever and provided with weights embracing said primary lever, a spring means carried by said primary lever approximately above the fulcrum for said primary lever, and a connection between the end of said secondary lever and said spring means whereby to resist the movement of said primary lever at one time and accelerate same at another.

3. A gas valve, a thermostat, a primary lever, a fulcrum for said lever, the short end of said lever being under the influence of said thermostat and the longer end thereof connected with the stem of said valve, a secondary lever above said primary lever, a roller journaled in said secondary lever and bearing against the housing for said valve,

said roller forming a fulcrum for said secondary lever and said secondary lever pivoting at a point removed from the fulcrum thereof upon the longer end of said primary lever, and the longer end of said secondary lever extended to near the fulcrum of said primary lever and provided in the end thereof with an adjustable memher, a spring means carried by said primary lever approximately above the fulcrum therefor, and a connection between said adjustable member and said spring whereby to resist the movement of said primary lever at one time and accelerate same at another time.

In'witness whereof I claim the foregoing as my own I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses at Portland, county of Multnomah, State of Oregon, this 11th day of Oct. 1920.

JULIUS BROMBACHER.

Witnesses:

L. J. ROBINSON, C. F. BLAKE. 

